The Texas congressman hauled in $4.48 million in January — about as much as GOP rival Rick Santorum, but behind fellow Republicans Mitt Romney ($6.5 million) and Newt Gingrich ($5.6 million), new federal campaign filings indicate.

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And with $1.64 million cash on hand with zero debt through January, Paul finds himself in a stronger financial position that either Gingrich — $1.8 million in the bank with almost as much debt — or Santorum — $1.47 million cash on hand and $956,701 in debt. Romney leads all Republican candidates with $7.67 million cash on hand.

Separately, a super PAC supporting Paul, called Endorse Liberty, on Monday reported raising $2.4 million and spending about $2.9 million during January.

For January, Paul’s campaign spent more than $5.23 million — about $850,000 more than it took in, his report filed late Monday indicated.

Of that amount, the greatest single expense proved to be television media, about $1.54 million, followed by postage and shipping ($563,400), campaign merchandize ($364,000), air travel ($305,800), political field consulting ($292,400) and telemarketing ($255,000), a review of Paul’s January campaign finance records show.

Meals in January gobbled up about $64,400 of Paul’s campaign stash, although the grub was hardly gourmet: Standard fast food joints from McDonald’s and Burger Kind to the slightly less traditional Smash Burger of Ankeny, Iowa, and Zombie Burger of Des Moines, Iowa, pepper Paul’s report.

Paul’s staffers have a particular hunger for Papa John’s pizza, which in January made more than $2,100 off the campaign across eight states.